If there wasn't an attack
by Weirdnessextreme13
Summary: Basically its what the title said. Its if the Mogs didn't attack and if the Garde were still on lorien. The nine would still be future lorien and I will find a way to drag Ella and Adam into this and I might get some ideas from other more experienced writers. Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes.
1. Prolouge

**This is a random story about what would happen if the Garde weren't attacked by the mogs. It's my first fanfiction so cut me some slack please let me know how it is. Thanks for reading :)**

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><p>"RING!" The doorbell rang loudly. The old man and woman exchanged glances.<p>

"Sweetie, could you get that?" The old woman addressed the four-year-old girl who was siting on the floor, playing with her dolls.

The girl got up and ran to the door, upon arrival, stared at it. The knob was much too high... The girl had an idea and pulled a stool over. Then, she stood on it and pulled the door open. Two men and one women stood there. The girl recognized the woman, she was her cepan. The two men, however were strangers.

"See! Brandon! The problem solving and creativity! It's perfect!" One man was so excited, the girl wondered if he had had his birthday. ( She's four... )

The cepan looked worried. "It would be a rather big thing to shove on a four-year-old! Let her live normally."

"I'm afraid, Adel, normal is not possible. The elders chose her. No way out. At all. You should know this..." The second replied.

The girl watched this exchange. She was curious. "Are you visiting grandpa?" She asked.

The two men jumped. "Look! It's so intelligent! It knows what's going on!" The first man looked sooo happy, the girl wondered if he was crazy.

"Grandpa and grandma is in here. In the kit-chin" the small girl struggled with the big word. "And I am not it, I am-"

The cepan cut the girl off. "Later honey. If they get what they want, you'll have a new name." The girl was confused, but she listened to her cepan.

The two men made their way towards the kitchen, looking pleased with themselves. The girl frowned but didn't comment just trusted everything to work out, they usually did, after all.

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><p><strong>So how was it? Good? Bad? Please review. It ( hopefully ) gets better. I know its short but so? They meet the others next chapter. I would make chapters longer in future but a prologue shouldn't be chapter-long.<strong>


	2. Chapter 1

**I know that all of them aren't the same age but in this fic I'm going to make them the same age.**

**Disclaimer: I _do not_ own Lorien Legacies or anything. :)  
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><p><em>Two years later...<em>

"Seven, come on! You're going to meet the others today!" Adel tried to convince me to come out of the hidey-hole.

"No! And I'm not Seven, my name's-" I frown. I cannot remember my name... Why not?

"Been changed sweetie. Being an elder is a blessing. Most would have killed for it."

"They can have it! I don't want it!"

Adel gasped. I didn't blame her, I usually listen to her. But today... Bad enough having a number as a name but being forced to meet other people! I'm quite shy so it's: Out. Of. Line.

"Ok. I'll go if I can wear my own clothes and go home if I don't like the other kids." I peek at Adel. I can see her but she can't see me.

"Fine."

Yay. I don't like dresses. They're too girly. I push my head out of the hidey-hole. "Promise?"

"Yes, but you'll be the only girl not in a dress."

"I don't care! I don't think I'll be the only girl anyway."

I push myself out if the hidey-hole and throw my arms around Adel's neck. "I love you!"

Then I skip to my room to pick my outfit.

XxX

Eight's POV:

"Yeessssss! You ACED that!"

I glanced at the black haired boy who has been watching me play with my marble maze. It was a present from one of the Garde, Renyolds hadn't told me which number made it. But it's cool. Besides, it also changed the walls every time I played and finished it.

"Thanks, wanna try?"

"Really? YEESSSS!" Black-head cheered.

While black-head played with the maze, I took the chance to study the others here. 5 people were here. 3 were girls and 2 were boys. 2 of the girls wore dresses, 1, the red-head was reading and the other looked bored and was toying with the ribbons in her hair and the remaining 1 wore shorts and a t-shirt. The boys... 1 has brown hair and the other had black hair and dark skin an might be a basketball player when he grew up. We are going to be elders when we grew up so our cepans decided to let us become 'a-quain-ted' I don't know what that means but Reynolds says that we could become friends.

The door open and a blond boy came in smiling. He grinned and approached us. "Looks like fun! Can I try?"

"Sure."

Black-head's still trying to get the marble to the ending point.

"What number are you?" I ask blondie.

"Not allowed to tell you yet. Sorry."

"Whoop whoop! Look I finished it!" Black-head cheered.

Blondie took the maze and started turning it. Black-head looked like he was listening to the cepans ( A/N he's eavesdropping but their 6 yrs old and don't know that word -_- )

"Someone called Adel is late." Black-head announced smiling.

Then the door opened.

"Daxin says 'speak of the devil!'" Black-head exclaims loudly. One of the cepans cheeks turned red.

"I'm NOT the devil." the lady who just entered rolled her eyes. I tried to copy her. It was hard. The girl next to her looked shy. She wore jeans and a weird puffy jacket and had dark brown hair.

"Good. Now we can start," Blondie's cepan smiles, "number One, please stand up." The girl in shorts stood up and gave a finger wave grinning. "Two?" And so on.

One was the girl-in-shorts. Two, the red-headed bookworm. Three, the would-be basketball player. Four- Blondie. Five, the brown-haired boy. Six, the girl with ribbons. Seven, the girl in the weird jacket. Eight, MEEEEEEE. Nine, black-head.

After that Nine, Four and I continued to play with the maze and everyone else joined us.

"I made that." This is Two speaking.

"Really?" Me, Nine and Four look at Two in shock. She seems like someone smart, yes, but also someone who wouldn't lift their eyes off a book.

"I painted it." Seven's running her hands over the little pictures on the sides of the maze. I look at the pictures.

"Hey!" Six yells. "That's me!"

And there's a small picture of Six on the walls. The rest of us look at the other pictures.

"Look! It's you Nine!"

"One, you're here. At this corner."

"Two, your bigger than the rest of us! Not fair!"

"Look at me! Your snowboarding jacket is a bit small but I look awesome in it!" Nine said this last sentence. He was wearing Seven's jacket.

"Give it back!" Seven scowled.

"Never." Nine laughed rather meanly. Like those villains.

"It's a girls jacket."

"There's no girl or boy jackets for snowboarding."

Seven ignored him and lunged for him. Six joined her.

"ARGGHHHH!" Both girls landed on Nine and Six was pummelling him while Seven pried her jacket off Nine. Katarina and Adel hurried over, laughing.

"Daxin, you're boy's getting overthrown here."

"Yeah! By our...what did you call them again 'weaker little girls'."

And then I can't help it, I crack up and so does Four and everyone else.

Nine sits up and scowls at us. And I crack up harder.

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><p><strong>Hee. this Chaptor was fun to write. Next chaptor is going to be longer.<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**I finally got around to editing :P**

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><p><em>The next day...<em>

Seven's POV:

"I don't like the name 'Seven'. Do you like the name 'Two'?" I try to get Two to open up. She looks up at me.

"No. I wish I remembered my Loric name, but I don't." She looks sad.

"Maybe I can come up with a nice name for you."

"Ok."

"Ummmmm...Rachael?"

"No!" Two laughs.

"Louisa? Janet? Ruby?" I try some names I like.

"_Nyet_."

"Ermmmm... Trisha? Natalie? Maggie?"

Two pauses. "I like that last one."

"Maggie?"

"Yes."

"Okay. You're Maggie now. GUYS! Two's new name is Maggie."

Nine runs towards us. "Not fair I want a name too!"

"Think of one yourself!" I move away from Nine. I don't like him. He stole my jacket and didn't want to return it.

"Ok... How about... Awesome."

"No way. I'm the awesome one here." One complains.

"You look like a Cassidy." Maggie suggests.

"Cassidy. Ok. GUYS! I'm Cassidy and Nine here is not-awesome."

"No, I'm awesome!"

Nine tackles Cassidy and they go rolling on the floor.

"Hey Nine. Call yourself some fancy name why don't you? Like ... Stanley or Richard or Samuel or Zachariah or-" Four pauses to think of another fancy name.

Nine stops from where he and Cassidy are fighting. Cassidy grabs him from behind and shoves him onto the floor. Then she runs away from him.

"I like Stanley." Nine announces. "DAXIN! My name is now Stanley. If you call me nine, I will... Hide and disappear."

Daxin looks horrified. And his expression is funny so me and Maggie end up cracking up because Stanley might actually do that. You just can't tell with Stanley.

"I like John." Four says calmly. "Brandon, I think I want to be a John."

Brandon shrugs. "Fine."

Eight grins. "If you're John, I'll be Joseph."

That makes John smile. "John and Joseph. Why not?"

"Does Maren Elizabeth sound ok?" It's Six talking, looking sad.

"A more badass name would suit you. I mean, you tried to rearrange my face!" Stanley yells, jabbing a finger at his face.

"It was grandmama's name." Six whispers.

No one, not even Stanley says anything.

Three clears his throat. "Hannu!" He chirps.

Five shrugs. "I'm staying Five."

"What about you?" Joseph's looking at me.

"Marina," I had wanted Marine but that wasn't a name. "And can I call you Joe?"

"Sure."

_Six years later..._

The nine of us have grown close. We're best friends. Laughing and joking, keeping our 'elder' secret. Which was what we called our secret that we were going to become Elders when we were old enough. Life was fine. Our legacies hadn't develop yet and we didn't have to train. Naturally that's the year when things go wrong. like, of course. I should have seen it coming.

I walked home after school. Normal day. Nothing extraordinary or strange but me going to the graveyard to visit grandpa's body. He died a year ago. From a plague that only affected Garde and not cepans, so the cepans, who usually think they drew the short straw in not having legacies, something to appreciate.

Then, upon entering the apartment, I noticed something wrong. No aromic smell of my grandma's cooking was in the air. It was scarily quiet and eerie I whipped out my cell phone and called Adel. She picked up on the second ring.

"Hello? This is Adel speaking." From her voice, it was obvious she had been crying.

"Adel! It's Marina! What happened? Where's grandma?"

Adel burst into tears. "I'll be there in ten. Wait, Marina sweetheart."

I flop into the couch, biting my nails. It's a bad habit I never outgrew. I don't think I ever will. By the time Adel walks in, sniffing, I have bitten through my nails and into my nail-bed.

"Marina, sweetie you're going to have to be strong. Ok?" She sniffs again dabbing a handkerchief to her eyes. Now I'm worried. Sorry, more worried.

"A-ad-del? Where's grandma?" I force out. I hate how my voice is shaking. Maren's voice wouldn't have shaken. But I'm Marina, not Maren. "A-Adel?"

Adel takes in a few deep breaths. She exhales lightly then looks at me.

"Marina. You're grandma died today. She had the plague, I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

I feel tears forming in my eyes. At least I'll get to know my parents.

"Normally you would go live with your parents but..." Her voice trailed off. My parents were on Earth, fighting some war alongside Earthens. they're always fighting, Earthens, always fighting. "But they died. In the war."

I.

Can't.

Think.

Orphaned in less than a day.

And I scream. Just scream and scream. And don't stop.

Maren's POV

All the cepans thought we'd be better acquainted we live near to one another. So there's a row of nine houses with us nine inside. Yay.

So sound travels well. Especially when someone is screaming. Sometimes it's about a cockroach which Cassidy is screaming about or it Hannu, calling for Joe, Stanley and John and Five to play basketball or sometimes it even Maggie, fangirling over a new book. But none of the screams were ever like this.

It was somebody screaming like they were being tortured and not of fear over a cockroach or someone fangirling or anything.

And, worse, it was coming from Marina's house.

We were closer to each other than the rest, maybe because of our numbers, maybe because I was like her backbone and she always helped me, so we were closer than sisters.

So when I heard her scream, I lost it. I tore out of my house like my feet were on fire and, ignoring Katarina yelling after me, ran towards Marina's house and banged on the door. Joe arrived shortly after I did. The screaming was still there. We both slammed our fists against the door. Nothing happened. I kicked the door but it was too strong. Stupid door. I want to kick it down.

Finally the screaming stopped.

Replaced by sniffing and heartbroken sobbing. Not much of an improvement...Joe and I exchange looks. And we hammer on the door again. We must have done it too hard because the door is knocked down. We exchange looks, like: oops, then run into the house.

"Just wait! Why'd you have to go smash the door down?" We enter the posh living room and see Adel, Marina's cepan, with a handkerchief in hand. Her voice is husky like she'd been crying. I scan the room for Marina. She doesn't seem to b-oh. Marina is curled into a ball on the floor still sobbing. Joe bends down and scoops Marina up and puts her onto the couch. She makes an obvious effort to stop crying but she can't. Joe sits next to her and puts an arm around her. She buries her face into his shirtfront and cries. I turn to Adel.

"What happened?!" I say with more force than necessary.

"Maren, don't." Marina's voice is muffled by Joe's shirt. "She's hurting too."

Joe strokes Marina's hair and rubs her back, letting her cry into his shirtfront. If it wasn't this grim,I'd tease Marina about this situation.

_Me: See? Joe likes you._

_Her: And look. Pigs are flying_. **(A/N it's her being sarcastic saying Joe will like her when pigs fly.)**

_Me: Well he does._

_Her: Ssssuuuuurrrrreeee._

_Me: He's looking at you._

_Her: I'm fairly sure he's looking at you._

_Me: nope. He's looking at you._

_Her: look, the pigs are cartwheeling up there. Anyway it's not like I'm his type. You are. Besides, we're doing something weird, probably._

_Me: Really? You are quite dense and insecure. You like him huh?_

_Her: Maybe. Tell me something I don't know (-_-) bye I gotta go train._

And she'd shut out any conversation about Joe and her. ANYWAY:

"So...?" I ask Adel. "Why are you guys sad."

Adel sniffed, not answering.

"Grandma died." Marina has stopped crying but she still sniffling a bit.

"What? But you're parents will move here right." Joe looks shocked.

A tear trickles down Marina's cheek, but her voice is hard when she speaks. "They died. Abandoning me. I'm going to an orphanage on Earth until some frea-"

"Marina!" Adel chided. "They did not abandon you! They didn't chose to die."

"Sure. I'll probably never see my friends anymore. Stuck on Earth in an orphanage." She sobs.

"You know it's only for a year, Marina."

"Unless I get adopted."

"There's that other soluti-"

Marina's eyes flash and she straightened and tried to stop crying. "No! You know Stephanie is a-"

"Don't swear," Adel says crossly. "Go pack you things Marina. We leave tomorrow night." Marina runs upstairs.

"That was depressing." I comment. Joe is looking at the spot Marina disappeared with a distance expression of wistfulness.

"Huh? Yeah." Joe snaps to attention.

I roll my eyes at him. "Bye Adel."

We walk out and I don't waste any time. With my usual tack, I say. "You like her."

Joe looks at me with wide eyes. "What?"

I roll my eyes again. Twice in less than five minutes at the same person. Gosh. "Uh huh." Joe inches away from me.

"Whateves. Bye." He walked towards his house.

I walked towards mine, having better things to do than play matchmaker. Tomorrow my almost-sister would be gone for a year. And a lot can happen in a year. Some one can change a lot, legacies can develop and... Other stuff.

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><p><strong>So I read my reviews. Like, Thanks Breelin, for the good advice. I don't mind the criticism. karenirvana, after reading your review I wanted to write a story about their growing up years. I didn't put it in here or it would be too long. Do you think I should write it? Thanks to both Annabelledash and Cas for reviewing. Sorry for some mixed American and British spelling. My keyboard is under American autocorrect but I spell Britishly. If that's a word. Also, sorry for the late update. Please review, I'd love to know what you think of my story! :)<strong>


	4. Chapter 3

Marina's POV:

Telling everybody was easy. It kind of went like:

Me: um guys I have to tell you something.

Stanley: what? Can't you see I'm eating?

Maren: yes. Now shush this is important.

Joe: yeah Marina has to tell you guys that she i- (Maren shoots him a glare.)

Me: I'm going to an orphanage on Earth because grandma and my parents died. For a year only if I don't get adopted.

Everyone: ...

I guess I sounded too matter-of-fact 'cause everyone was staring. Anyway:

Me: What?

Stanley: you sound lik- (John elbowed him)

John: like you're giving up.

Joe: you're leaving tonight right? Can we check out your ship?

Me: ummm... K.

Five: betcha it's small.

Joe: you're so on! Ok how much?

And then they started betting on the size of the ship. Really?

So everyone was going to check out the ship taking me to earth. Tonight. I'm going to miss them.

XxX

Joe's POV:

I can't believe she's going.

She'll come back, says this tiny voice in my head.

No she won't!, says another. Any way it's not like she likes you.

Well.. So? The first argues. I don't like her that way.

Do too.

Do not.

Do too.

Do not.

Do too

I wonder if I am going crazy. Nobody hears random voices inside their heads right? Well besides me.

"Knock, knock. Can I come in?" It's Reynolds.

"Course! Why not?"

Reynolds leans on the doorframe. "Umm. A girl you like is going to earth? Plus you're sulking."

I feel my cheeks heating up. "I don't like her!"

"Ok... if you say so."

I look at Reynolds. "Why does everyone think I like her?"

Reynolds shrugged. "We've gotta go if you want to see the ship."

"Coming."

I dragged myself out of bed and followed Reynolds out of the house towards the air hanger. So many Loric were orphaned by the plague that the LDA built better ships so that they could go to earth faster.

A little later...

"25 hours?! In this awesome ship? Not fair." Stanley yelled as we checked out the ship. It was awesome, the interior built like our houses. Except more comfortable.

Marina scoffed. "Your family'll probably buy it for you I you asked them." That was probably true. Stanley's grandparents doted on him.

John grinned. "Need ice for that burn, Stan?"

Stanley glared at him. For reasons unknown, he hates being called Stan.

"Whatever, Hannu, John, Joe, Five! You guys soooo owe me! Look! I told you it would be big and awesome."

"Nope! I was more specific, I said it would look like our houses!" Hannu argued.

"Dang it!"

"I'm sorry, but we need to go now." Adel sighed, clearly exasperated with us. "Say bye to your friends Marina."

"I suddenly feel 2 feet tall." Marina mumbled. "Bye guys. See you next year." She hugged all of us.

"Bye Marina," I whisper into her ear. "Try not to get adopted."

She grinned and nodded. Everyone else was walking back. On impulse, I lean forward and kissed her on her cheek. Turning away from Marina's surprised face, I followed the rest home.

I am such an idiot

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><p><strong>This is not one of my better chaptors... apologies...I had to study...<strong>


	5. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own lorien legacies...yada ****yada, bleah ****bleah...my head is too stuck in Greek, Egyptian, Chinese, Indian and Norse myths to even think of an idea as awesome as that one...(And Roman) All rights go to Pittacus Lore...**

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><p><em>From: Maren<em>

_To: Marina ('lucky' number seven)_

_Hopefully you receive this. Apparently, we can still KIT through email if you get this. :) anyway, Stanley kinda demanded for tickets to see some pop star lady called Devektra or something. Apparently, he heard someone mention her and decided to ask and/or beg Daxin for tickets. We've already got some. Hopefully the concert is good..._

_Also, the boys did weird betting. Right now, as I'm emailing this, their running around outside. Hannu and Stanley are standing on Joe, Five and John, pretending to be _pharaohs_!_

_Also, it seems that Joe and John and Five have to do whatever Stan and Hannu ask them to for the whole month. It's going to be an interesting month._

_Maren_

_P.S. Stan says that if you ever need a hiding spot, a cave works best. I think he thinks you're going to run away. He's cuckoo (more than usual)._

XxX

_From: Mar_

_To: Maren_

_Devektra?! OMG! I love her songs! Get an autograph for me? Please? Thanks!_

_Tell Stanley I'll run away when he manages to do a triple-summersault. Not literally of course, (don't need to give them anymore ideas...) Please tell me what goes on during that month...it'll be an interesting month._

_Marina_

_P.S. (not that it isn't obvious) but I _think_ I _might _have __received your email._

XxX

John's POV:

"This is Sandor, he will be taking care of you all. Please behave." Daxin introduced us to a man who was in his early-twenties who would be taking care of us. We had just arrived at the concert and Daxin was too tired to take care of all of us. He walks away wearily. Poor guy, it must be tiring having Stanley as a Garde.

"Hi!" Stanley yelled, doesn't he ever speak softly? "Are Devektra's concerts good? A friend of ours wants her autograph!"

Sandor chuckled. "Yep. You should see what she can do with her legacies. Autograph? Be glad I'm taking care of you guys, young ward," Sandor grins. I don't get the reference but decide not to ask. He seems to find it funny. Weird. Or it could just be me. "Cause I can get'cha to meet her!"

"Really? How?"

"We're dating."

Sandor led us to the backstage. A burly guy stopped him at first 'till Sandor said, "Hi Mirkl, how' Dev?" then we were let in. Siting inside the dressing room was a lady, a little older than Sandor, with electric blue hair.

Sandor whistled. "Whoa, Dev! I knew you said you were dying your hair, but blue? I think I preferred electric white."

Devektra whirled around. She was real pretty. "Hi Sandor, who are your friends?"

Sandor smiled and introduced us.

"Future Elders?!" Devektra exclaimed. "But there are only 8 of them!"

"How do you kn-oh mind-reading?" I spluttered.

"Who knows? That might be it...anaannndddd it might not."

Joe grinned, ignoring her, he said. "Why thank you, dear lady. One of our friends is on Earth. She wanted your autograph." He started patting his pockets, muttering in a phony French accent, "but where is lá paper? He has dizappeared!"

Us boys busted up while Maren rolled her eyes and passed an autograph book to Devektra.

"Did you break into Marina's house to get that?" I asked, remembering the last time I saw that book, which was in Marina's living room. In a locked house.

Maren's cheeks heated up. "I-she... door was locked but she gave me the keys."

"So you broke in."

"I didn't! Not exact-, I jus-, I-AGRH! Why-ARGH! BOYS!" She took the book back from Devektra and turned to Sandor. "Going to our seats, hope your concert goes smoothly, Devektra. Bye."

Which, of course, made us boys crack up even more. Cassidy flashed us an annoyed look.

"Quit it. It's not like you guys know where our seats are. Or that Marina likes Devektra's music."

Which, _somehow_ makes us shut up...Cassidy manages to do that to us sometimes. _SOMETIMES_ only.

"My show's starting soon, see you guys." Devektra checked her make-up. Then she kissed Sandor and waved at us as we left to get our seats.

"You know, Sandor." Stanley chirps.

"Yes, my young ward?"

"Playing favourites," Five and I grumble, then fist bump as we realize we said the same thing.

Stanley ignores us, "You'll make a better cepan than Daxin. Or a cooler one at least"

Leave it to Stanley to compliment someone.

Marina's POV:

Sister Dora had dressed me in a frilly gold dress and matching shoes. I had a bad feeling about this. Especially when they lead me to the office. It wasn't punishment because they wouldn't bother to dress me up. So it must be a-

"Mrs Anderson, this is Marina." Sister Lucia introduced the lady in the office to me, "Marina, this is Mrs Anderson. She's a good lady and she might be your future mother." Mrs Anderson regarded me. She didn't look like a good mother or a mother at all, she was cold and distant looking like an Ice Queen or something... (Khione/Elsa)

"I asked for a twelve-year-old not a fourteen-year-old." She said shrilly.

I was shocked. I was thirteen, well thirteen in two months but still. "I'm thirteen in two months, Mrs." I added in the 'Mrs ' as an afterthought.

"She should not be talking back to me, Lucia. I think another girl would be better. This, Marina, is not polite enough to be know as my daughter. Please choose a nicer twelve-year-old." Nice of her to say my name the same way one would say: _rubbish_ or _underwear_ or even _poop_.

"Yes, Mrs Anderson. I'm afraid Marina is a lost cause here. I'll see what I can do about her manners." My ears burned. Lost cause?! What?! See what she can do? A ruler to my knuckles, guaranteed. Then Maren's influence (I spent too much time with that girl...) made me angry.

Lost cause! I'll be a lost cause then! _See how they'll like that!_

I pressed my ear up against the door and eavesdropped.

XxX

_From: Marina_

_To: Maren_

_Hey Maren! Figured it was easier to write to 1 person instead of 8. So tell the others I said hi. Don't tell the others this: today some French lady came to view me. I mean really. Literal view. She took one look at me and was like: not nice enough (fine she listened to me for all of a minut, not important though...)! La shall not be adopted. Sister Dora actually agreed with her. I'm temporarily thinking you rubbed of me but it'll pass...(yup, I eavesdropped. You, Stanley and Five are rubbing of me...) I suddenly hate the convent more. Anyway. Back to Lorien. So Maren please tell me did you get Devektra's autograph? If you did, thanks! If you didn't, thanks anyway. For trying. If you did. You probably did._

_(You did try, right?)_

_I've always wanted to see one of her concerts. She uses her legacies a lot. That's what makes them so awesome. So did you like the concert?_

_Hope nothing bad's happening._

_Missing Lorien,_

_Marina._

XxX

After they get Mrs Anderson a daughter (poor thing), I go out, after all, it was free time. AKA to hide from Gabby and gang time. Of all the girls in the orphanage, Gabriela Garcia is the meanest, along with her best friend, Hilda, aka La Gorda, (the fat one). They decided that I better listen to them or I would get in trouble. They're 15 and like to dress like sluts, wearing baggy clothes over they skimpy ones and, after we're all out of sight (convent) they change into their low-cut tank tops and shorts and other stuff and put on make-up. After school, they wipe they're faces clean, redress in baggy clothes and pretend to be humble. Anyway, I hide from them 'cause they want to bully me an there's only so much verbal 'abuse' someone can take...a cave...hmmmm... Stanley's advice had **better** be good...

I hike towards towards two rocky hills I saw on my first day here. Hopefully, there is a cave there or something. Somewhere I can eat the snacks I brought from the cafeteria and sulk a bit. After hiking for quite a while, I see a rounded shrub and push it aside. And gasp. Because the shrub conceals a opening. Correction, what might be an opening. It looks like a gopher hole. Might as well scare the gopher inside.

Grinning, I poke my head into the opening but I can't see anything. Sighing, I push myself into the hole anyway. It feels narrow then suddenly opens up. Darkness is what greets me. I feel disappointed. So close but too dark. _Way too dark_..._Sigh_.

Suddenly, it's like someone lit a torch and I can see inside the entire place. It's a cave with a stream cutting through the back corner. It's spacious though. I can imagine spending loads of time here. Then my vision momentarily turns dark again. I blink a few times and the cave is lightened again. It's not as good as the lighting outside though. Hmmm... I grin to myself. I think I developed my first legacy.

* * *

><p><strong>One that'll need to be practiced. With Adel of course.<br>Annnndddd I finally finished my exams! (cue the 'yays' and confetti and balloons)!**

**So I'll hopefully, HOPEFULLY be updating more often. (Have you noted the 'hopefully?)**

**Marina isn't usually like that. Let's all take the time to blame Six/Maren.**

**...**

**(****Have you done it?)**

**Sorry if it's boring. Ella and Adam and I guess... Ivan too...(I hate him but the story plot I've got'll be strange without him...Proof that in every book...or almost all of them anyway...has to have a baddie!) w****ill all be introduced in the same chaptor! Boo to Ivan, yay to Ella and Adam! :) (I've been having too much sugar...) Also, sorry, but I don't get the 'young ward' reference either. Help would be appreciated very much...**

**Where I come from, right now, it's night. GOOD NIGHT for those of you who are reading this at night. :)**

**Thanks for reading...this may be my longest chaptor yet! (Even Without the authors note...)**


	6. Chapter 5

Marina's POV:

Sister Lucia shows us the new girl. She's a small girl of about seven or eight years, with auburn hair and big brown eyes, like a mouse. It's one of those lucky girls who would get adopted strait-away. But I also feel sympathetic for her, losing both parents to a sickness. Similar to my story. After the introductions (the girl's name is Ella), we go on the tour, then back to the dorms. **{A/N MUAHAHAHAHA}**

"Marina, you'll take care of Ella, alright?" Sister Lucia says. I know it's because their mad at me for being like Maren and Stanley and, shoot, even _Five_, defiant. So, instead of staring back at Sister Lucia, I look at Ella and hold out my hand, avoiding Sister Lucia's glare. Ella takes my hand, her's soft and small. My knuckles are bruised and splinted where the Sisters hit them with a ruler.

"Why are your knuckles like that? Are you hurt? _Does_ it hurt?" Ella raises her eyebrows, looking at my hurt hand.

_Yes!_ I want to scream. _Yes it hurts when anything touches it! And the Sisters did it. Don't trust them!_

But Sister Lucia's eyes bore into me and I know I will have a good beating, sorry _padding_, if I said that.

Instead, I say, "it's nothing to worry about Ella. Nothing too bad." Ella eyes me like she knows I'm not telling the truth, then nods her head, still eyeing me. This is one sharp seven/eight-year-old.

I lead her towards the dorms. "Hopefully you're near me." I say, smiling at her. "It's not to bad when you get use to it." I pull a face to show her I don't really mean that.

"I'm leaving in two months!" Ella blurts out, then her hand flies up to her mouth and she looks like she regrets it.

I look at her. "Me too! Not running away but my friend's mother will adopt me if I'm not adopted." Not a lie, just not the whole truth. What about her?

Ella smiles. "Me too, but a father not a mother. And take me to a distant planet...I mean place."

I arch my brow. "Planet?" And I get a chill saying it. She's not a mog, could she be...?

"Are you Loric?" I blurt out and, like Ella, my hands fly up and cover my mouth.

Ella's eyes are as big as saucers. "Yes! But I was sent here 'cause the plague took my parents! I'm also... you know, the freak that everyone hates."

"Wha-oh Raylands daughter..." I trail off. "It's fine Ella, you're not a freak."

Next thing you know, Ella is bawling on my shoulder, telling me about being a 2nd grader where everyone treats you like you're a monster, a freak, about to explode. I pat her shoulder and stroke her hair, telling her everything will get better. Thing like that. I also have a serious flash of déjàvu. All the times my friends comforted me, made sure I wasn't too weepy, let me cry on their shoulders. It's about time I accept it's time to help someone else.

"It's going to be alright Ella...when we get to Lorien, I'll introduce you to my friends... you'll like them... I think."

Ella looks up at me. "Tell me about them. Everything."

So that's what I do.

XxX

Cassidy's POV:

School is _soooo_ boring. Couldn't we be, like, doing something else? Especially since Summer in two and a half months away?

Maggie, who has the IQ of a sixteen-year-old, is doodling on her notebook. Since she's sitting next to me, I peer over and look at what she's drawing. Much more entertaining than learning about how Lorien picks Elders and Elders Jr. Like I don't know how, heck, it was the first thing the nine of us learnt! And for first period? What was the principal thinking?! Was he/she_ trying_ to make us sleepy so we'll be put in detention? Jeez...

Not for the first time in the year, I suddenly wish Marina was here. If she were, she and Maren would be doing one of their debates and giggling. And I would be trying to eavesdrop and not be this bored. Argh. Why did she have to go to Earth. She's also smart, like Maggie. On the bright side, she's coming back soon.

We sit in a weird formation. Joe and Hannu in the middle rows, me and Maggie behind them, Maren and (once) Marina behind us and Stanley and John next to Hannu. Five isolated himself next to Joe. So it looks like a fat 'T'.

Maggie, for some _begotten_ reason, is drawing a strange shape on her worksheet. Then she starts calculating the area, diameter, blah blah blah. That girl studies too much.

"Pi times 72 times ..." Siting next to Maggie was a bit like siting next to a teacher. Argh. Despite that, Maggie's still an awesome friend. When she's not studying, that is.

Joe, siting in front of me, is also not paying attention. I lean forward and try to look over his shoulder. Joe has drawn a picture on his paper. A picture of...I don't even know what that is.

While I'm trying to decipher what on Lorien Joe is drawing, there's a knock on the door which makes me look up and rub my hands together. _Entertainment! Thank the elders!_

"Mr. Richards? Ivanick Shu-Ra and Adamus Sutekh have arrived and the principal wishes you to take them under your wing, so to speak." Mr Richards paused. The first time in the hour. Miracle! Let's clap people!

"Ivanick can sit next to... umm what's your name?"

"Five." Five was examining the two boys who walked in. They're both pale, with dark hair and sharp features. One is tall and scrawny, the other with broad shoulders and a thick build. Complete opposite. And they're also Mogadorians. _Interesting._

"Yes, Five. Adamas... there's a free spot next to...what's you're name?"

"Maren." Maren looks horrified. I don't blame her, who wants a Mog siting next to them? After all, everyone knows Mogadore is a wasteland. Hopefully she didn't get the meaner looking guy. Or hopefully she did. She would beat the pants outta him. :).

"Yes, sit next to Maren, Adamas."

"Err, sir? Could you call me Adam? And Ivanick, Ivan?" Adamas looks nervous. Looks like he's the scrawny one. Hmm...

"Ehh? Ok, so then Lorien decided that we had to have..." I zone out and resume trying to decipher Joe's drawing. There are wheels on it...what? Are those even wheels?

Giving up on that drawing, I decide to draw or attempt to draw Earth. Marina has always been the artist but that doesn't mean I can't draw (I just can't draw nicely). I wonder how Earth looks like...

"Are you doing _math?_" The harsh whisper jerks me out of my mini daydreams about Earth. Adam is peering over Maggie's shoulder. "Don't multiply it with seventy-nine, do it with thirty-three." Maggie flushes and cancels out a line.

I half-turn around. "Smart-ass." I say, smiling at Adam.

He shrugged. "Can't help bei-" Maren kicked his shin.

"Teacher alert." She hissed.

Adam frowned but sits back down. I turned to resume facing the front. Ivan was clearly arguing with Five. Ivan must not be very nice.

But then I already assumed that.

"Can you guys show me around Lorien? You seem ok. I also...kinda want some time away from Ivan...he's kind of annoying." Adam states.

I whirl around to look at him. "You sane?"

"Umm...yeah?"

"Well think about it, _Adamas_," I use his name the same way I would use a whip during training-like a weapon. "For all we know, you could be part of some Mogadorian spy plan. Or a serial killer and/or a hardened criminal. Or, heck, even a thief. I kind of value my wallet and money. So probably no, _Adamas_."

Adam flinches at my use of his name. Dang. I feel bad for a second.

"I swear on my father being alive that I'm not any of those things."

"Not good enough." Maren and Maggie say at the same time. Huh, I didn't know Maggie was listening. It takes a lot to tear her away from math. This must be real interesting.

"On my life, soul and..." Adam pauses to think of another important thing. "My intelligence?"

"Adam, you kidder," I cast my eyes skywards, "you look pretty dumb."

Adam laughs. "Ivan is tiresome. It's difficult hanging around with him almost all the time."

"IQ of a pig." Maren smiled.

"Understatement." Adam smiled too but it was real weak.

"Ok, _mister_. You can come around with us _if the others are ok with that_. Which reminds me, poor Ivan! Really, we can't have Ivan along with us," I shook my head oh-so 'sympathetically', "so, soo sorry about Ivan but we simply cannot accommodate him. Unless Maggie gives pass." She seems to know everything. Like, _literally_ everything.

Maggie arched a brow. "Ivanick Shu-Ra? He's quite ruthless I heard. Somehow, the story was also spread that he was good-looking, which he, pardon me, is not. Maybe it's the difference between Mog and Loric taste or it's just _my_ taste in particular. A couple of girls here do seem to be drooling over him. Interesting, don't you think, Maren and Cassidy?" Without waiting for us to respond, Maggie plowed on. "I've also heard that he is _not _much of a strategist so he relies on his adopted brother, Adamas Sutekh to help him strategise." She looks at Adam. "That'll be you. So you guys are 'brothers'? No offence to Ivanick but he clearly is very different from you. Your father is a general. That's something to think about..." she pauses and I applaud her. She's a genius! A genius!

Adam paled visibly. "How do you...?"

"Simple research." Maggie answers. "Alicia, Charis, Marissa and others are_ drooling_ over your brother. I'm disturbed. Very disturbed as a matter of fact. Are you?"

Adam swallowed. A few years ago, if you told me Maggie could be scary, I'd say you were either crazy, drunk, insane and/or high. Now, I have no problem believing that...the way she seems to know everything; that girl has become a bit of a scary genius. "Very. I guess you could say he's a bit of a...chick magnet."

"I don't know wether to laugh, be insulted, or punch you in the face." I state. Adam stared at me. "_Chick magnet?!_ Are you serious? That's like saying only the girls who are attracted to him are _chicks!_ Gosh, Adam."

"I d-didn't mean that. I guess I meant that as a figurative speech. I _mean_ that he is one of those guys who are...you know," he amended.

Making a split-second decision, I smiled. "We'll ask the others. You're alright, Adam. You're really alright."

XxX

Joe's POV:

"_WHAT?!_" Stanley slams his fist against the lunch table. "YOU DID WHAT?!" He's voicing out the fact that us five boys are probably thinking. At least _I_ am...

"For once I agree with Stanley." I mutter. "He's a _Mog_. A whole different race."

"And you're a Loric. Also, Marina is on Earth with _Earthens_. Another race, right? But when she comes back, she would be the same." Maggie reasons. That girl is too smart. "I think."

I glare at Maggie. "Wisenheimer." I reply, cross that I can't find fault with that logic. Argh.

"Ooooo... we're using big words now, are we?" Cassie smirks.

"SHUT UP!" Five voices (including me) snap.

"Mean," Maren snorts. I think the five of us know better than to tangle with her. We all are yet to start at the LDC, yet we still train. The only person who almost beat her was Stanley. Key word: _almost_. _Only occasionally_, "please, Joe, Stanley, John, Five, Hannu? He's not half-bad, I swear!"

Stanley glares at Maren, then, pitching his voice a _lot _higher, he does a squeaky imitation of her, uh oh. "He's not half-bad!" Maren stands up abruptly.

"Really, Stan! You're such a freaking bast-" she stops, covering her mouth. _Marina's influence, _I think. "Anyway, stop doing that!"

"Doing what?"

"Judging by their race or their appearance or their parents!" She snaps.

By now the whole lunchroom is silent and looking at us. "FINE!" Stanley sighs. "One chance! Only one."

Suddenly, it dawns on me that we don't know if Adam was the one who was fighting with Five or the other one, the one in Marina's seat.

"Umm..." I trail off, feeling sheepish suddenly and squirm in my seat, "is Adam the daft little pr-never mind or the one you girls were talking to?"

Maggie face-palmed, Maren groaned and Cassie buried her face in her hands.

I exchange glances with John and we both shrug. Girls will carry on being weird, then. Not our problem at all.

* * *

><p><strong>YAY. Nother chaptor done. This one isn't that productive...something big happens in chaptor 7, promise<strong>

**Love you, readers. :)**


	7. Chapter 6

Marina's POV:

Ella dances, in the wide open meadow, she twirls, does jumping spins and looks like she's having the time of her life. She looks free and, above all, happy.

Smiling at her, I return to my rough sketch of Joe. When Ella heard about my friends, she wanted to know what they looked like, in an actual picture, not with words, so here I am, drawing them. I started with Maren, my best friend and kind of sister. The picture is already finished, Maren's face burned into my brain, when it comes to your good, real close friends, you can't forget how they look like. Now, I'm on Joe. He's more difficult, 'cause...well, I don't really know...

I carefully rub out Joe's eyes an re-draw them. Honestly, I'd rather paint then sketch. Sighing, I finish up the sketch and go to my favourite part-painting! Taking out my paints, I get started. Because the page of the notebook is so small, I have to draw outlines to follow...(-_-) it's so troublesome...

"Which is that? Stanley, John, Five, Hannu or Joseph?" I jump, Ella having startled me.

"Joseph." I reply, feeling all warm and fluttery at the sound of his name. _Get a grip Marina!_ I mentally chide myself.

I smile at Ella, then jerk my head back to silently ask if she wants to go back to the convent.

She nods her head, then grabs my wrists and pulls me up.

I glare at her and scowl. "It's swimming! I don't want to play Queen of the dock."

"Don't whine, Marina! It'll be fun." Ella smiles. Sighing, I let her drag me to the convent.

Since I told her about everyone-sacarstic Cassidy; shy, bookworm Maggie; athletic Hannu; responsible John; aggressive Five; quick-tempered Maren; funny, joking Joseph and violent Stanley. She told me she couldn't wait to meet them! And that they sounded awesome. She also wanted to know why it seemed that me, Maggie and John were the only serious ones. The conversation was quite weird...especially when we're walking back in this lovely meadow and someone starts talking about a whole BUNCH of people you haven't seen in almost a year.

_Ella: why does it seem like John, Maggie an you are serious?_

_Me: ummm, John's not that serious, I said responsible._

_Ella: so you and Maggie are serious?_

_Me: ..._

_Ella: or is it only you?_

_Me: ummm actua-_

_Ella: don't answer that! I don't think I want to know!_

_Me: ooooookkkkkkkk..._

_Ella: why are you serious? All your friends aren't._

_Me: ..._

_Ella: is it because you had to grow up faster?_

To tell the honest truth, I had never thought about that. I never figured out the time I stopped pulling pranks with Maren or making jokes. I had just 'become serious' and that was all. I pursed my lips. If I were to think about it, I 'became serious' when I found out Adel and grandma were hiding stuff from me.

"Whichever," Ella beamed, "we'll be on Lorien again soon!"

"Yeah." I smiled at her. "In another week."

Which seems like years...

XxX

Cassidy's POV:

"I'm hungry, Hessu!" I complained. We were wrapping up training and I was _starving._

"There's food in the fridge." Hessu replied, picking up the dropped swords, knives, daggers and mats (don't even ask).

"Can you get me some?" I pouted when she shook her head. "Fine, I've gotta show Adam 'round Lorien. And chill, Hessu, the rest'll be there too." I say, stretching. "See ya."

Maggie is waiting for me when I walk outside. "In two, at Six." She says, jerking her head back.

"K," I throw a bag over my shoulder and braid my hair hurriedly and follow Maggie towards Maren's house.

When we get there, we see Adam, Five, Stanley, John, Joe and Hannu eagerly talking about Lorien-knows-what. Probably basketball.

Maren is looking bored, tugging at her hair. Well, Maren, I've got some entertainment planned, don't be bored anymore.

"So this is Elders Street." I say, casually, surprising the boys.

"Whoa, sneaky, sneaky," Adam chortled.

"I know right!" Stanley exclaims.

What? Boys...

"Maybe it's your ears that failed to hear me and not me being sneaky!" I challenged, folding my arms. Not in script but I enjoy a 'debate'.

"Nah, my ears work fine," they all say.

A slow smile appears on my face..."uh huh...I wasn't exactly quiet was I? Maggie? Maren?"

They, getting what I want to do, nod.

"There, see? Wait till I tell everyone that I, who was noisy, scare Stanley, John, Joseph, Hannu, Five and Adam! Ha!"

"Don't tell!" Five yells.

"I'll sleep on it," I reply, chunks of my upbraided hair out of my eyes.

Use to my kind-of-but-not-really blackmail, Stanley asks, "what do you want?"

"Nothing," I smile oh-so-sweetly at them. "For now."

John sighs, mumbling something to Adam that sounded suspiciously like 'she's a notorious blackmailer' I decided to ignore it, because I'm nice that way :).

By the end of the day, Adam was a friend. Like a really good one. I felt as close to him as I felt for Joe, John, Stanley, Five and Hannu. Which is saying a lot, because I only met the dude the day before last. This almost-summer might be better than the last (we were all moping in the last).

XxX

Marina's POV (yes, again...):

_A week later..._

"ADEL!" I shrieked, running into her motel room. "IT'S BEEN A YEAR! A YEAR! ICANGOBACKTOLORIEN! ICAN'TWAITWHENAREWEGOINGTOLEAVE?!"

Adel plugged her ears, flinching. "Marina, sit down." I sat. A year with the sisters' have made me obedient and afraid of authority.

"Marina, dear, as much as you want to head back, we have to wait. The ship is yet to come. I'll 'adopt' you." The whole scheme was carefully planned. Adel had visited me several times and pretended to want to know me better (we were honing my legacies), so today, she was going to adopt me. Yippee.

At first Adel was surprised at my change of attitude, becoming less defiant, less playful, more serious, more subdued etc. She never saw the way I flinched whenever one of the sisters' lifted their hand, or my splintered knuckles. She's use to it now, though.

"Yeah, I'll go pack my stuff." I say, more quietly and leave.

I left towards the end of seventh grade, so now's the ending of eight grade...shoot, that means high school for me after the summer when I go back. Thank Lorien I still get an education here, or I would be far, far behind.

I hope I don't run into any trouble.

Aaannnnddd, trouble runs into me.

"Watch where you're going!" Gabby snaps as she _mows_ me down.

I simply look at her. "I'm sorry, but** you're** the one who knocked me down?" Then instantly regret it, my hands flying to my mouth.

"Shut up!" She snarls. "If I were you I'd keep my sorry-ass no good words to myself. No one here_ likes_ you, Marina."

And, just like that, the thin veil between the words my brain is yelling (there may or may not me swear words...) and my mouth _shatters_.

"You shush! You think you're soo cool, you and la g-" i remembered no to say la Gorda and get the one who made the nickname up in trouble with dear Gabby. "-Hilda! The two of you keep prancing around, you should see that you look like giraffes!" Once I start, it all goes pouring out of me, also because I know I'll never see her again after today. "If you want the other girls in the convent to look up to you with respect instead of fear. You. Should. Stop. Being. Such. A. Freaking. Bimbo!" I yell, jabbing her on every word. "You know why people don't want to help you? Because you treat us like trash, that's why!_ How do you _expect_ us to _respect_ you when you treat us like slaves who are assigned to be your everyday minders to do something like wipe your face an coo at you! I an sick of the way you act like we're beneath you! We're people too! We have _FEELINGS_! We're. Just. Like. You_." I was frothing at the mouth. Gabby looked surprised. Probably surprised that Marina the Quiet Girl could speak up to her like that. "Wait, we're not like you. If we were, you'll know why some girls send you dirty looks."

Getting back on my feet, I stomped pass her and into my dorm room.

I sink down onto my thin mattress and sigh. What was I _thinking_?! That old part of me disappeared when grand pa died...

What was it doing back?

More importantly, what have I done?

XxX

Stanley's POV:

Yep, the whole street was buzzing (it just the eight of us after all). Marina'll be back today! Yay! Joe had been more excited than usual-a fact that Hannu and I noticed and gave hell to him about. Adam noticed too! After awhile, that is...He teases Joe too. I talked to Maren and (after loads of convincing charm)found out that Joe liked Marina last time and, clearly, had lingering feelings for her.

Hee, this was going to be an excellent ammunition to tease him with. (Cue the evil laugh!)

"YO! JOHN, FIVE, HANNU, MAGGIE, CASSIE! DRAG YER BUTTS OVER!" Maren yelled loud enough for even Cassidy to hear. _And_ she's five houses away! _**Five.**_

"JOE! STANLEY! PARK YOUR BUTTS OVER HERE!" She yelled. I could hear her like she was standing next to me. **_That girl can yell._**

I looked out of the window and saw her standing...guess where? On Cassidy's front lawn to the road out to the rest of Lorien.

"GUYS!" She shrieked. "WI-" I opened the door. Jeez, she needs to learn patience. Even if I'm not one to speak.

"COMING!" Seven voices yell back.

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL..." she mutters while-somehow-screams.

I drag myself out. We'll probably be running into lots of girls so I did my best to look cool.

XxX

John's POV:

Everyone is hectic. It's like one day, everybody is organized; then next day, boom! Marina is back! Let's all mess up our nice house and let Maren yell the whole planet down. Also, let Joe act weird. Does he like Marina or something?

Daxin got tired of 'babysitting' Stan and the rest of us EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HIS TURN (our cepans take turns to manage the once-nine-now-eight-going-to-be-nine-again of us). But then again, it's Stan who's his Garde, so you've gotta cut the guy some slack. Same for Maren's cepan too. Except Katarina is tougher than almost all of the cepans. Hessu and Conrad are noticeable competition.

"JOHN!" Maren yelled into my ear. With enhanced hearing, it was worse up close.

"Jeez." I say, turning to face her. "You really need to..." I trail off when I see her arm. "Work...on...yo... where did your arm go?"

"It's here, stupid," she rolled her eyes. I saw her shirt sleeve lift up like something was pushing it up, then she froze.

"Oh my Pittacus." She chocked out.

"SANDOR!" I screeched, "SA-AN-DOR!"

"What's the mat-" he caught sight of her arm. "Sorry, Maren, I'm not a Garde cepan. I'm just a cepan."

Everyone gathered around Maren and started yelling and freaking out.

"MY ARM!" Maren yelled. "Holy Lorien, Sandour! My_ arm_!"

All this drama was going on while a ship landed and it's passengers alighted. Granted, Joe was the only one not screaming to see it, he told us later that four people walked out, but still.

"Maren, calm down!" I recognized Maggie's voice as she ran towards us. "_Maren_," she gripped Maren's arm. "It's still there!" She sounded surprised. "Oh, hey Adel, could you take a look at Maren? She's freaking out _a lot._"

_Adel?_

"Mare? You ok? Stop yelling, I can't hear anything!" Someone yelled over the commotion. Which stopped slowly, each person reconising the voice except Adam (sorry dude).

In the year we hadn't seen her, Marina had grown. So had we but, not important. She was taller-as tall as me and Maren but not Stanley-and she was prettier. Now I could get why Joe liked her. Not that I did, I actually rather fancy Maren...my Lorien, did I just think that? Is it true?

"Nice to see you again." Marina says, smiling at us. She then goes into the hugging part of return. She hugs Maren first, then Joe (huh...interesting).

"Mar!" Joe chirps, hugging her tightly. I notice Stan, Hannu and Adam exchanging suppressed grins. "It's _awesome _to have you back!" He pulls away. "But who's that?" I realise, suddenly, that Joe isn't joking around. To say that was unnatural was an understatement. Oh, yeah, that wasn't the only thing I realised. Two other people had been on the ship. An eight or nine year old, clutching her cepan's hand.

"El, it's ok." Marina smiles at the girl and holds out her hand.

Hesitantly, the girl detached herself from her cepan and walked towards us cautiously, like we're going bite her or something.

Like she read my thoughts, Cassidy rolls her eyes and says, "come on, 'little one',**(A/N maximum ride, STWAOTS angel and the whitecoats from China XP)**" she grins suddenly. I don't get the reference but, then again, Cass is really weird. Maggie gets it, though. "We won't bite! I swear."

The girl closes the distance and grabs Marina's hand. "I'm Ella." Her voice is so quiet that even with our enhanced hearing, I can barely hear her. "Marina's told me about you."

"Ok, squirt, nice to meet you. I'm Stanley, the awesome one, k?" She giggles and nods. "Good girl."

Sandor smiles at Stan. "Squirt?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

Ella giggled some more. "Marina told me _all_ about you guys!"

Maggie arches a brow. "Good things, I hope. The name Ella rings a bell..."

"It's a common name," Marina smiles. "Oh yeah," she turned and hugged the rest of us.

"Nice of you to remember us." Cassidy grumbles. "Ella...Maggie's right! The name strikes a bell."

Marina looks nervous and Ella squeezes her eyes shut. "MyfatherisRaylantheoneeveryonethinksiscrazy." she said in a rush.

Raylan? He is crazy, he built a fortress in the mountains of Lorien. Some people say he's gotten better, though. Not as crazy as before, though, thanks to Erinda.

"Whatever, we don't mind." Maggie pats Ella's head. "Come along then, have you seen much of Lorien? No? Well, come with us, we're showing Adam around, too."

* * *

><p><strong>So sorry if this is a random Chaptor but I suck at writing returns.<strong>

**Soo sorry...**

**Thanks for reading XP! This story isn't over yet, though... Please review and let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 7

Marina's POV:

Someone's shaking me awake from my lovely dream.

"Mphh..." I grumble, I've become a light sleeper since you never know when Gabby and la Gorda are going to raz of of you. "Go away..." I mumble sleepily. "I'ma sleeping."

"No you're not. Get up! We're going somewhere" Joe's voice._ Figures..._

I roll over. "Night."

"It's, like, eight a.m.! Get up sleeping beauty."

I don't respond.

"Jeez, Marina. Do I have to kiss you for you to get up?"

"Mph. Would you go away? Please?"

"You are a..."

Joe turns me over.

"Argh!" I protest.

He brushes my hair away from my face, which makes me open my eyes to slits and stare at him. His expression is...hard to describe...

"Joe? What are yo-"

Joe leans down and touches his lips to mine.

XxX

Cassidy's POV:

So, a good friend comes back and is welcomed with a trip to the museum the very next day though, granted, Joe still has to wake her up. Good luck with that. She sleeps like she's in a freaking coma. So inconvenient.

When Joe gets Marina out of bed, her cheeks are red and she looks annoyed _and, _somehow, for some reason, flustered. As they draw closer I can hear Marina complain.

"A museum? That's what you got me up for? Urg. Let me go back to bed..."

"Nope. Ella probably needs you to help her explain that stuff."

"Argh!" Joe had to drag her the last few feet.

"Marina's up!" He announced, grinning slightly.

"How did you do that? I once dumped a bucket of water over her head and she didn't get up!" Maren gaped in disbelief.

"I can do the impossible. Duh!" He rolled his eyes at her and fist-bumped all the boys.

Agh, call me sexist but...

XxX

Sandor met us at the entrance of the museum.

"Ok you kids. I know you'd rather not have an adult with you so I'm not going in. But listen, you all have to pair up. Yes, I know that one group will be of three, it's unfair, yadayada, bleahbleah, so what? Would you rather have me babysitting you? Ok. Meet here in two hours. If you haven't learnt anything when you'll come out, I'll throw you back in." This guy is _efficient!_

John paired with Maren because their parents were best friends and their closer to each other. Plus, John probably is needed to keep Maren in check.

I saw Marina start saying something to Ella and get interrupted by Stanley saying, "com'on, squirt. You'll be with me and Five, we're going to the weapons place, do you think you can handle that?" He pulled her away when she nodded.

Marina rolled her eyes but didn't object. Joe walked to her and said something which made her groan but nod. Maggie and Hannu had already left.

"I guess I'm stuck with you, huh?" Adam jabbed my side.

"How _tragic_." I punched his arm lightly. "Fortunately you're not with Stan so thank Lorien."

"Whatever. Being paired with you is probably fifteen times worse."

"Mean." I snorted then dragged him toward a random section.

XxX

"It's so big..." I say, in a trance.

"Yep." Adam nodded absentmindedly. "How they fit it in here is astounding. Let's go explore."

I blink. Two months knowing this guy and he still surprises me. Ok, fine, two months is an insanely short time compared to what some Loric live until, but still.

"Why not? Let's go." I usually am the one to suggest things like that so I can definitely go along with them.

The ship was huge and ran on fuel, according to the sign. The area around it was barricaded but we ignored it. _Mistake one._

The interior was _posh_. It was, like, really big and had a couch, a coffee table, a **huge** TV and three bedrooms. Also a pilot place thingie. Like, whoa much?

As we were taking this in, heavy footsteps were heard.

"Crap! Someone's coming!" Adam pulled me behind one of the couches.

Of course, if we had been thinking, I would have noticed that that the man headed for the pilot place thingie and didn't come out, but no. After he was out of range, we continued exploring. _Mistake_ _two_.

We were checking out the toilets when the engines, granted, we didn't know it was the engines then, started. It started as a low rumble, which we chose to ignore. _Mistake three._

Well, you know as they say, three strikes and you're out (or yer out, whatever).

We were definitely out! By the time we realised the ship was going to take off, the door out was closed.

_Why me?_

* * *

><p><strong>Please review, I want to know how I'm doing...Sorry for the random Narvina moment...they're, like, my favourite ship :)<strong>

**PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE let me know if I'm taking to story too fast or too slow or if you don't get what the doose I'm talking about. Sorry its short, I didn't have that much inspiration...**

** (\(\**

** ( -.-) -THAT IS A BUNNY WHICH I MADE BECAUSE I CAN :) U AVE TO BE IN PC TO SEE IT...**

**o_(")(") **


	9. Chapter 8

Maren's POV:

"If I concentrate, Katarina says I'll be able to make my arm visible again." I grin. Thank Pittacus! I'll hate to have an invisible arm. "And in time I'll be able to turn in and out of visibility and make thing turn in and out of visibility."

John slits his eyes at me. "No pranks then. No stealing, k? My granddad has invisibility too. Sweet legacy, huh? I wish I could get mine soon."

"I'm _not_ a thief!"

"Neither is my grandad, but JIC."

"Well, I can't say no pranks. But I _think_ I can promise no thieving."

"Good." John squints at the sign. "Who in Lorien is this guy? He's..."

"Really ugly?" I offered.

"Understatement."

"How about really, _really_, ugly?"

I leaned forward to stare at the painting. The man is the picture is deathly pale, with black hair and eyes, as well as a long purple scar on his neck. Eww. I brush my hand over the scar. It looks real...interesting. Like one of those battle scars that don't heal.

"Mare!" John yells, grabbing my arm.

"What?" John groans and pulls me away.

"Nothing..." He shakes his head, knowing that most reasoning doesn't work on me. Smart boy.

Suddenly, I can hear loud noises...like an engine or something.

"Oh yeah, there's this ship, donated by Raylan, that's taking off today. Cool, huh?"

"Let's go check it out." I reply and pull him toward the general direction of the sound.

When we get to the room, everyone but Hannu, Maggie, Cass and Adam are there.

Stanley nods when he see us, like 'sup'. Everyone else's eyes are fixed on the ascending ship.

It is a lovely sight. The light from Lorien's three suns fell in rays onto the ship's roof, top, whatever its called, making it sparkle like the sea. The ship itself looks like a hoverboard and it's exhaust fumes aren't grey and don't smell horrible. They're a shade of green, much like grass but not entirely, and smell like earth. The wonders Lorien does, even to it's exhaust.

"Whoa!" Joe breathes.

"I know," Marina sighs. I find myself agreeing with them. The scene is very 'whoa' worthy.

Sandor isn't at the entrance when we group there, Maggie and Hannu are, though.

"Hey..." Maggie says suddenly. "Where are Cass and Adam?"

"Dunno. Why?" I arch a brow at her.

"Its not like Cass to be late..." She bites her lip. "Ya know?"

Unfortunately, I _do_ know. She likes to be number 1 in most things (except failing or dying).

"What are you thinking?" Hannu squeezes Maggie's hand.

"I'm...worried." She says, finally, after a long pause.

"While we're asking _that_, where in the whole freaking Milky Way is Sandor?" Stanley frowned.

Sandor rounded the corridor shortly after that.

"Speak of the devil..."Maggie muttered.

"Hey, Sandor!" Stan yells. "Treat us to ice cream?"

_Typical..._

XxX

Cassidy's POV:

Adam and I cling on to one another, both of us frightened.

"Why me?" I muttered. We both wait. Surely someone on Lorien must have noticed out absence? Right?

Right?

Maybe not...

XxX

_A _lot_ later..._

"The ship's landing." Adam whispered. We had taken turns sleeping, some of my training kicking in.

The door to the outside world opened and the man stepped out. "Sleigt, our new home, this place earthen's call California!" I peeked at the man and saw that this 'Sleigt' was a baby.

What in the world?

"Quick, let's get out of here!" Adam hissed.

We scamper out as the man puts Sleigt in a stroller-pram thingies (hey, I'm no genius, that's Maggie) and walks back into the ship for...diapers? Baby bottles? Milk?.

The man landed the ship in a forest. This forest was nowhere near as tranquil as the ones on Lorien.

"Adam," I squeaked. "We're on Earth!"

"Cassidy, listen! We can stay on the ship until the guy wants to take off."

"Adam, didn't y-" then I remember that Adam didn't have enhanced hearing like I did, those poor mogs, they have no idea what they're missing. "The guy said that he was going to live here."

"We're in deep trouble then."

"Well, might as well enjoy Earth while we're here." I smile and take a random path.

After walking for ages, we arrive on a beach. There are, like, loads of people there doing weird things with board thingies. Like, _whut_?

"Hello! Who are you?" I whirl around and see a girl (taller than me(-_-) Why I so short?) with a whole _freaking_ waterfall curly fiery red hair and amber eyes smiling at us.

"You're not from around here." She observes. "Well, for what it's worth, welcome to California. I'm Phoenix. Who're you?"

"Phoenix the bird?" I frown.

"No, Phoenix Feather Chryso."

"Of course." I giggle nervously.

"Don't worry, there are weirder names. And that's _not_ my real name." She smiles kindly at me and I bite my lip.

Is everyone on Earth this friendly? Is this place another Lorien?

How...disappointing.

* * *

><p><strong>I literally realized that that line thingie was from the writing bar...I am such an idiot. :P<strong>

**Thanks Random Person :) That review made my day. I can't zoom forward though, I have no idea how 16 year olds think...like, I'm only thirteen. And honestly, I can't write Jix well because...(don't kill me! O.o) I don't really ship it normally, I ship Fourah. BUT I'm TRYING! **

**:P I still need an updating schedule...**


	10. Chapter 9

Phoenix is really understanding. She believes we're runaways and has agreed to house us. It's the second day and no one's knocked on the door yet, so she probably hasn't sold us out to the police or anything.

Yet.

"Hey guys." Phoenix pushes open the door to the room we're staying in. Which is the playroom. Which has a freaking _bed_ and a _couch_ in it

"Do want to go surfing?"

I squint at her. "Surfing?"

"Yeah," she laughs. "I can teach you. Plus no one will bother you cause your with me."

"Why not?" Adam knitted his brows.

"Cause I'm the 'freak'." she sighs but doesn't elaborate. "Like duh. So what's your name?"

Yep, we had yet to tell Phoenix our names, pretending we were too tired.

"Um, Cassidy Fay." I tug my hair.

"Well, like the folk of the fay you're real pretty." Phoenix smiles at me. "What's yours?"

Adam looks taken aback. "Err, I'm Adamas Sutton. And did you just compliment her? Her ego doesn't need to be any bigger."

"Adamas means 'invincible' in greek. Chryso means 'golden'." She adds as an afterthought. "Do you go by Adam?"

He nods. "You said your real name isn't Phoenix?" I ask (*_HINT_ _HINT_*)

"No. My parents don't pay enough attention to even _know_ my name. I just an accident. The 'heat of the moment' crap." She props her chin up with her hand. "My siblings know your here though. Hope you don't mind."

I bite my lip. Poor thing. "How many? Siblings I mean."

"Four, I mean there are five of us. Four are accidents, me included." She grins to herself like it's a private joke. "I'm the most annoying. And proud of it."

I look at her. She is pretty, not annoying looking , like she told me I was (the pretty thing, not annoying looking). The amber eyes are a plus, too. "Funny," Adam smiles at her, "you haven't proven yourself annoying as Cassidy here, yet."

"Ahhhh, but if I like you, I don't annoying." She rolls her eyes and grabs my wrists. Then she grabs Adam's in her other hand and drags us out. "We're going surfing."

"What?" I dug my heels. "why?"

"_Because_, you _can't _go to a California beach and _not_ surf, dingbat!" _Earthens_, I muttered.

XxX

"You are a natural." A cute boy grins at me, sounding surprised.

"I aim to please. Thanks!" I flash him a smile before heading towards Adam and Phoenix.

They seem to be talking about something private.

As I draw closer, I hear Phoenix ask him: 'does she know?' And he shakes his head.

That 'she' had better not be me.

"CASS!" Phoenix shoots me a happy smile. "You are a natural."

"Thanks." I smile at her and Adam. "Who's that cute boy?" I ask, jabbing a finger at the boy who told me I was a natural.

Phoenix look at who I was pointing at and raised a brow. "Wade Summers. He's a real player, seems to have a new girl every fortnight, at most. His longest girlfriend was for a month and a half. Sad thing is, you can't be a girl who's here that hasn't crushed on him once."

"Have you?" I can't help but ask. I can't even start to picture tomboyish Phoenix crushing on someone.

"Sadly yes. I got over it quick, though." She draws her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around them.

"Why?" Adam asks, evidently just as curious as I am.

"Because he's a jerk and teased me about...can't tell you. You guys wouldn't want to be my friends anymore."

Even though I've only known her for a day, she is as close as a sister to me, I wouldn't want to lose her, or give her away, not for gems, not for money, not for anything.

Except maybe world domination.

I said _maybe_ only.

"We still will! I swear!" Adam and I speak in sync.

She bites her lip. "I'm, um, a, um, k-"

"Nixie!" A girl a few years younger than us runs over and grabs her hands. "Look what I've got!" She presses a weird circle thing into Phoenix's hand.

"It's beautiful," she smiles at the girl. "Definitely nicer than that jagged seashell you found last week."

The girl shudders. "Eww, I can't believe that Mulch loved it."

"And that's our Mulch," Phoenix kisses the girl's forehead, "go play, mom and dad'll be home soon and be, you know dictators."

The girl runs of in the direction the came from, her feet kicking sand all around.

"Annnnnddddd, who's that?" I drag out the 'and' for as long as I can hold my breath.

"Current, my little sister." She smiles.

"Is it just me or do you an your sister have boy names?" Adam says.

Phoenix sticks out her tongue at him. "Go away." She throws a handful of sand at him.

"Oh lore-god," I say. "Is that all? Or is there an Air and an Ice or maybe a Shadow?"

"What?" Adam asks.

"Elements. Phoenix; fire. Current; water, Mulch; earth." I explain.

"Yeah. My elder sis is called Blizzard, my younger brother is Twister. Mulch is the youngest."

"Twister what's his last name? Vapor?" Adam sniggers **(A/N don't ask. Family joke :P).**

"Did you guys name yourselves?" I ask, ignoring the male humor.

"Yeah, we each dibbed an element. That's one of the reasons why everyone thinks we're freaks."

"What's your real name?" I asked.

She pauses. "Brigid. I don't like it because...do you read Maximum Ride? Yeah, that reason."

"FIVE ME!" I hold up my hand. "An MR fangirl and proud of it."

Adam inched away from me. "You get weirder by the day."

"Proud of that to!" I stick my tongue out at him. He rols his yes and Phoenix laughs.

"Oh yeah," Adam recalls, "you were going to tell us something?"

"My eldest sister is the intentional one." Is she evading the question?

"Plu-lease." I scoffed.

"Er." She bites her lip again. "This is a sand dollar?"

I roll my eyes. "I knew that." I say, even though I didn't.

"Phoenix?" Adam prods her with a piece of driftwood. _Such_ a gentleman.

"I'm a...klepto," She says softly. "And you two hate me now, don't you?"

Oh my Pittacus she had better not mean a kleptomaniac.

XxX

Maren's POV:

"They've simply disappeared." I run my fingers through my hair. "Where could they be?"

John pats my shoulder. "Don't worry. Cass is a survivor. Even if Adam turns on her, she'll beat him to pulp. Like you can." As soon as he utters the last words, he runs bright red.

I turn to look at him. "Thanks," I suddenly feel ridiculously pleased over this tiny thing and I. Freaking. _Blush_. I don't blush easy. What is wrong with me? They'd all told me that I am a strong fighter before and I'd never blushed before. Or felt that pleased.

John notices my discomfort. "Sorry."

"No, don't apologise. I'm being stupid about something I don't know about," I reply, frustrated.

"How can you be stupid about something you don't know about?" John asks.

"I don't know that either. Maybe we should ask Maggie." I flop onto my bed, afflicted thinking things like: what is going on? Where is Cassidy (Oh, and Adam while I'm at it)? And, more importantly:

Why is my life like this?

"Six?" It's been so long since I'd been called that that I actually stop brooding.

"John," I squint at him. "My name's not a number."

"No it isn't." He agrees. "But you wouldn't have paid attention otherwise."

"I hate you when your right."

"Don't you mean you hate _it_?"

"That too."

I sit on my bed, wondering how Maggie is now. She freaked out when Cass when missing, understandable since they're best friends. Thank goodness Hannu could comfort her.

In my mind, I imagine how I would have felt if _Marina_ or _John_ went missing. Hell, I would have broken down too. I mean, I've been used to John's presence in my life and I've just gotten Marina back from Earth.

I bite my lip and look at John. "What if she's already dead?" My voice rises with hysteria on the last word.

I feel a hot tear leak down my cheek. Hold it in...

"Maren, don't worry. We will find her."

I exhale. _Relax_...

Suddenly, John is there wrapping me into his arms. I bury my face into his shoulder and imagine that all my family and friends are here on Lorien. That the oncoming threat of the prophecy is not there, looming over everyone...

Not that anyone cares...

I exhale quietly. "Thanks John." I say, my voice muffled by his shirtfront.

"You don't have to be an emotionless rock with me, you know that right?" He smoothens down my hair.

I nod.

"John!" Henri calls from downstairs. Of all the ways to ruin the moment...

"Chill Maren." He kisses my forehead. "Everything will work itself out."

"You miss her too?" I ask. "And you can still comfort someone else? Thanks, I guess."

"Yep. Your welcome." He flashes me a lopsided grin and walks out of my room.

Leaving a part of me comforted and another part more confused then ever.

* * *

><p><strong>WHEEE! The <em>Jix<em> has sailed!**


	11. Chapter 10

Cassidy's POV:

"Klepto...maniac?" My voice wavers.

Phoenix nods. "And I'm _gullible _apparently."

"How?" Adam challenges.

"I dunno. I always thought there were aliens with powers. Called legacies. Something like that."

Oh my gosh.

I decide to steer the conversation back 'on track' again. "So you're klepto?"

She sighs and rakes her fingers in her hair. "I'm _trying_, but my hands don't listen to my brain when it comes to this stuff."

"Whoa." I study her. "We have to go shopping."

That went over like a ton of freaking bricks. **(:D)**

XxX

Maren's POV:

"I hate this place." Marina whispers as we walk through the cemetery.

"I know." I reply, whispering as well. Hey, even on a perfect planet, people die. "It's so dismal."

"Like you." Maggie giggles.

I poke her. "So where's this oh-so-important artefect?"

"Um...AH-CHOO!" Marina sneezes and it echoed around.

Maggie and Marina clutch me (sigh) and Maggie stammers out. "L-le-t's hurry u-up."

"Definitely." I can't help but shiver slightly.

The cemetery is a miserable, damp, dark place, like in all those movies, there was a fog hanging low among the headstones. No(italic) light from Lorien's famous three suns reached the place so it was as creepy as someone's closet when people were pretending there were ghosts in there and howling, dropping things on other's heads...(thanks to my wonderful friends I knew how it was like...) but that's beside the point.

I watch as a chimæra in centipede hightails towards the exit. _Smart chimæra_, I think.

"Let's get the freaking artefect then hell outa here." I whisper-shout.

"I concur." Maggie, as usual, using fancy words.

"How does it look like?" Marina asks. "I've been here a million times and this place it's still like that prank the boys played on me and you, Maren. Remember that?"

I nod, then Maggie starts describing. "It looks like a crystal clam. Open it, there should be a pearl inside, then we'll carry it out and get the hell out."

"A clam?!" I protests. "We came to the cemetery to get a clam? We should have gone to the ocean."

"It lets us see whoever we want to see whenever for however long even if it's only once(underline)." Maggie points out. "It's pretty OP."

"Only once?" Marina asks. "Aww."

"Why? You wanna stalk someone?" I tease.

"I-uh-no." She stammers.

"Ooohhhh!" Maggie grins. "Who's the lucky ducky."

"Or lucky douche-bag." I roll my eyes.

"I-don't-uh-um..." She pinches her nose bridge. "You said carry. How big is this clam?"

"Subject changer." Maggie and I accuse. "Umm. I don't know." Maggie thinks for a bit. "I'm assuming it's big."

"Let's split up." I suggest.

We all pick a direction and walk. I stop at almost every headstone to read the words.

Finally, I hear Marina calling out. "Uh, guys?"

I follow the direction her voice came from and see she's staring at the headstone labeled: Caelestis lies here, one of the original nine elders

"Oh my gosh." Maggie breathes.

"I never knew how to pronounce that name." I muse.

"It's-" Maggie begins.

"Chael-les-tis." Marina whispers.

"Ok, how did you know that?" I ask, unnerved.

"I don't know."

"She's the elder of compassion and kindness, that stuff." Maggie says. "Do you think that she's one of us here now?"

That idea itself unnerves me. I always knew we'd have to take over certain elders but...now it seems...eerie.

Marina rests her hand on the dirt, muttering something. "Marina!" I rest a hand on her shoulder. "Don't!"

Marina moves suddenly, her body heating up so hot that I have to jerk away from her.

She clutches her wrist, the one on the dirt, eyes wide, not quite her own, looking older and green, as though she's in pain. Her lips move, forming strange foreign words-Spanish maybe?

"Marina!" Maggie yells too. "Move! Get away from that grave!"

I react too, grabbing Marina's shoulders and yanking her away, ignoring the burns I'm sure to receive.

As soon as her hand isn't on the dirt anymore, her eyes return to normal, although they loll up so the whites show. Then she shuts them.

"Oh my Lorien!" I screamed, slapping Marina's face. "Wake up!"

"Maren!" Maggie chides.

The air around Marina turns frosty and damp(er).

"..." Marina doesn't say anything but her fingers start drumming on the ground.

"Marina!" I scream again, "should we pour water on her face?"

"On it." Maggie pours water from her water bottle onto Marina's face.

"Agh!" Marina wipes her face. "What? I just wanted to show you the grave. It's an elder." Evidentially she didn't remember anything other than calling us.

"It's complicated-" I start. Maggie takes over, explaining everything.

"I'm her." Marina blurted. "Later Caelestis meant celestial. The gods, Zeus etc. made it to commemorate her."

"Okay, creepy." I take a step back nervously.

"Um, guys?" Marina says, sounding scared.

"What Marina?" Maggie asks.

"Er, did any of you put this here?" He lifts her arm.

Glimmering on her wrist is an unfamiliar charm bracelet, looking almost new, _things_ dangling on it.

* * *

><p><strong>Or Maren, you could call it by its proper name: Charms<strong>


	12. Chapter 11

Marina's POV:

"Holy moly." Maren breathes. "No, we didn't."

"Oh." I frown. If they didn't, then who did?

"You'd better take it off." Maggie warns.

"Yeah, ok." I tug at the bracelet, looking for the clasp.

There isn't any.

"There isn't a clasp." I tell them.

"Rip it off." Maren says bluntly.

I tug and pull harder, getting cross when nothing happens. "Help?"

"Oh for-" Maren kneels down nest to me and pulls at the bracelet. Her face becomes strained.

"Can't?" Maggie asks. "Then let's go home. We'll find a way to get it off and search for the artifact tomorrow.

I stand, following them out, pausing only to rearrange the flowers on grandfather's grave.

When we get back, all I want to do is sleep but I have other things to do.

Like break a bracelet.

I use screwdriver attempting to break at the linked chains. Nothing.

I moan loudly and collapse onto my bed, thinking that I'd like to sleep more than ever.

But removal of the dumb thing came first.

And fear of my dreams.

Maybe I can slip it off.

No luck.

What in the world is this thing made out of?

"Wow, who gave you that?" I hear a familiar voice. "It's really nice."

I groan and whirl around. "Hi." Joe grins at me from his perch on my windowsill.

"Yeah, nice to see you. But I'm trying to get it off my wrist." I mumble.

"Ah, you don't like the giver?" Joe jumps down and sits right next to me, his close proximity making me blush.

"I don't _know_ the giver." I groan again.

"Noo! Did you _steal_ it." Joe widens his eyes in mock-shock.

"No. I passed out at the graveyard and woke up with it on my wrist." I sigh, twisting it. "The begotten thing."

"Well, did'cha find anything of use?"

"I might be Caelestis." I say.

"Hmmm," Joe leans close, examining me. "Maybe. I heard she's real nice. And pretty." He added as an afterthought.

"I-um." I lean back a bit, the memory of when he kissed me fresh in my mind.

"You ok? You're real red." He knits his brows, pushing strands of my hair away from my face.

"I'm f-fine." I stutter. I have no idea what to do with things like this. Before the museum, the closet I've come to physical relationship was a kiss on the cheek. By _Joe_ of course. Not that I enjoyed it...

"Good." He leans away, cheeks red, as though suddenly aware of how close we were. "I have to-um...never mind."

"Joe..." I touch his arm gently. "What is it?"

"Nothing." He says softly. "Marina...?"

"Yes?" I ask.

"Do you still have nightmares?" He's asks, randomly.

"Do I...? Err." I bite my lip. Every night, I've had nightmares about the sisters hunting me down, screaming Bloody Mary and hitting me so bad that I told him. That I had a nightmare, that is, not the details.. "Yeah, a few."

"Do they keep you up?"

"Yeah." I sigh.

"No wonder you stagger around in the morning like a zombie." Joe imitates a zombie, moaning, "Braaaaiins."

I laugh against my own will.

"Sleep."

"Say _what_?!" I stare at him.

"Sleep. You gotta be tired, you just came back from the graveyard." He smiles at me. "Just sleep. I promise I won't leave you 'unguarded'."

"You-" I punch his arm lightly.

"Hey!" He fakes being cross. "When you were moaning I thought you were frolicking with someone and came to check."

"You didn't!" I yawn, covering my mouth with my hand.

"See you're tired! Sleep." Joe takes my hand. "Don't worry, Marina."

I groan but listen, lying down and closing my eyes.

"Marina?" Joe whispers after a while. "You did sound like you were...you know."

I would glare at him, but I'm pulled down to deep by the cobwebs of sleep.

Surprisingly no bad dreams plague me, however cliché that is.


End file.
